


It was twenty to four, but I just can't be sure

by Basttop



Series: Apartment stories [1]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Josh lost his cat, M/M, josh has a cat, they're neighbours
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-16 05:05:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11246901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basttop/pseuds/Basttop
Summary: "I know it's 3 in the morning, but I lost my cat."





	It was twenty to four, but I just can't be sure

**Author's Note:**

> Woops, another fluffy fic, every time I try to write something a bit more angsty, or smutty. But angsty or smutty is nothing I'm satisfied with at the moment.  
> So, hope you enjoy this :)
> 
> Title from Cuntry boys and city girls by The Fratellis
> 
> <3

Tyler wakes up from a loud noise. Well, he was in a slumber, not really able to fall asleep properly. But he was still startled. He listened, it sounded as someone was knocking at the door of his apartment. Looking at his alarm clock he wondered who on earth would knock on his door in the middle of the night.

He turned around snuggling into his covers, deciding it was not worth leaving his warm and cosy bed over.

But the knocking wouldn’t stop.

And Tyler was awake now, he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep for a long time. So getting out of bed and opening the door for this rude stranger was as good as laying awake and staring at the ceiling. At least this way the knocking would stop, preventing waking up other neighbours too.

So he walked to the door, opening it, and giving the stranger on the other side of his door an aggravated and questioning look.

Only the other person wasn’t a complete stranger. It was his hot neighbour. They always greeted each other in the hallways, Tyler always regretting afterwards that he didn’t invite him over for dinner or something. Because he was really hot. And shouldn’t you get to know your neighbour a bit better? That was always a good thing right? Because that way, if there was something wrong, he could go to his neighbour for help. But Tyler never dared to ask his neighbour, _Josh, yes, that was his name,_ he never dared to ask Josh anything more than a ‘how are you doing?’.

So seeing him standing here, in front of his apartment, in the middle of the night, left Tyler a bit confused.

“Hi, ehh… I know it’s 3 in the morning, but eh… I can’t find my cat,” Josh says, scratching his neck hesitantly.

 “Oh…” Tyler says dumbfound “Alright… no, not alright. Ah well. Uhm… what are you doing here knocking at my door? I don’t think your cat is here?”

“No! No, of course not. But uhm, I thought, you maybe could help me find him?”

And how could Tyler say no to such a cute face. Josh looked sleepy, his bright pink hair all messed up and his eyes small and squinty at the probable lack of sleep. He shouldn’t have to look for his cat in the middle of the night.

“Eh, sure! Lemme, just, I’m gonna put on a little more than only sweatpants. You can come in if you want? It’ll be a sec,” Tyler says, making room for Josh to come in.

“Thanks! Thank you so much, I’m so tired of searching and I know you don’t sleep that much at night, thin walls you know? So, yeah, I thought I try and ask if you wanted to help,” Josh says, locking eyes with Tyler.

Josh’s eyes suddenly go wide, realisation spreading over his face “You, you weren’t asleep were you? Oh god, you were. I shouldn’t have knocked that long. I’m sorry I woke you! I can go,” Josh rambles, already turning around, heading towards the door.

“No! Well, I was in bed, but not really asleep. It’s okay, I’m up now and as you said, I’m used to little sleep,” Tyler rushes, stopping Josh in his tracks.

“Just, I’m gonna put a shirt on, then we can look together okay?” Now that Tyler was awake he might as well take this opportunity to get to know his neighbour better. For instance, he didn’t even know Josh had a cat. There were many more things he wanted to find out about him.

After he found a shirt in the mess of his bedroom he got back to his living room, seeing Josh sitting on his couch, his head leaning on his hand and his eyes closed. He looked so tired.

Tyler didn’t want to startle Josh and thought about letting him go to sleep but this position didn’t really seem that comfortable. So he cleared his throat softly.

But no matter how soft the sound was, it did startle Josh, who immediately stood up, blushing and raking a hand through is messy hair.

“Sorry, I ehm, I’m already up all night looking for Cymbal…”

Tyler started snickering “Cymbal? That’s eh, creative. Better than Tiger or something.”

Josh grinned at him “Yeah, well, blame my ex, he said that it was a good name because I play the drums.”

“Yeah I knew you played the drums, thin walls and all,” Tyler winked “But, it is a good name, suits you.”

Josh smiled at him, “thanks. And really, I am so glad you want to help look for him. I’m kinda desperate at this point.”

“Sure, that’s what neighbours are for right? So tell me, when and where did you see Cymbal last?”

“Alright, well, he actually never leaves the apartment, so I don’t even know why and how he’s gone. But I fed him this morning before going to work and when I got home he was nowhere to be found” he tells Tyler.

“Okay, left any windows open? The front door a little too long?” Tyler asks.

“No, maybe the front door? I don’t know man, I can’t remember, but no windows, one it’s freezing outside, two I have screens for my windows so he shouldn’t be able to get out.”

“Okay, well, let’s search the stairwells? Or did you already look there?”

“Nope, just searched my apartment really,” Josh says, repressing a yawn.

“We’ll start there then, two see more than one, right?”

“Right.”

So they started searching all the hallways and stairwells of the complex. Which were a lot, as the building has 12 floors. They started at the bottom, working their way up, chatting softly with each other as to not wake any more neighbours. Tyler learned that Josh worked as an software engineer, that he lived in this apartment for 5 years, that he loved his mum and that they had the same music taste.

“Oh man, if I knew you liked the same music I would have plucked up the courage to talk to you way sooner,” Josh exclaimed a little louder than intended.

Tyler shot him a quick smile, looking behind a bunch of plants.

After 11 floors they still hadn’t found Cymbal and Josh began to give up the hope of ever finding his pet again. He was a bit dramatic like that, blame it on the lack of sleep.

“I don’t think Cymbal is in the apartment complex anymore, he probably sneaked out without me noticing and got let out by another resident” Josh sighs.

“Wait, I think I hear something,” Tyler whispers. And yes, standing on the eleventh floor they hear a faint meowing coming from up the stairs.

“Does that sound like your cat?” Tyler asks Josh.

“I think so? I don’t know,” Josh answers while running up the stairs taking two steps at a time.

And there, in the corner was a dark grey striped cat huddled up and meowing. Josh picked it up, cuddling it and planting kisses all over Cymbal’s head.

Tyler walked to Josh and Cymbal, petting the cat when he was close enough.

“Ah, Josh, you never said how cute he was, he’s just as cute as you!” Tyler cooed. It took him two seconds to realise what he said, but it made him blush profusely.

But Josh smiled, a really big genuine smile. “Thanks! He’s really the best. Thank you so much Tyler! I would have given up if you hadn’t helped me.”

And with Cymbal still in his arms Josh stretched one arm out to hug Tyler, to which he complied. They hugged a little longer than was normal in all likelihood but neither of them complained.

Together they walked to their floor, stopping at Josh’s door.

“You should come by sometimes, dude! I can cook you dinner to thank you and we can listen to some music together,” Josh says.

“That sounds great. If you promise Cymbal will be there too,” Tyler smiles.

“Well, Cymbal has house-arrest for at least his whole life so he probably will be. Can I eh, can I get your phone number? So we can plan when and stuff?”

“Yes, I uhm, do you have your phone here? I can put it in?”

After Tyler puts his number in Josh’s phone they say goodbye. Tyler walks to his own door, going in and heading straight to bed. He was pretty beat up after this searching for a cat and he fell asleep almost immediately.

 -

The next day Josh woke up with Cymbal curled up at his feet. Instantly he remembered the night before, feeling thankful that Tyler helped him find his cat.

There wasn’t really a good reason for Josh to knock on Tyler’s door last night other than that he thought Tyler was cute and he wanted him to help Josh find Cymbal. Josh thought it was a good excuse to finally interact with his neighbour. Maybe it was a bit weird trying to get to know your neighbour at 3 in the morning but Josh always was a bit weird. And Tyler didn’t really seemed to mind.

Also, Josh immediately got to see Tyler without a shirt and that made losing Cymbal for the night all worth it.

He looked at his phone, seeing it was almost noon already. Thank god for the weekend, he thought.

Josh decided to ask Tyler to come to dinner that night, not wanting to let the opportunity go to waste.

Tyler texted back not a minute after Josh sent his text, agreeing to come over that night.

So Josh started cleaning his apartment. After the search last night it was a big mess, not one piece of furniture was in its right place, papers and dishes scattered everywhere.

-

At seven at night, Josh heard a knock on his door. He turned the stove down, walking to the door to open it. There was a little skip in his step, as he was excited to spend some more time with Tyler.

Tyler stood at the doorstep, wearing a black Grouplove hoodie and black skinny jeans, in his hand he held a little bag.

“Hi!” Tyler says.

“Hi, come in,” Josh smiles. “What’ve you got there?”

“Ah, I have a little gift for Cymbal if that’s okay?” Tyler says, while walking in and taking of his shoes.

“Yeah sure, I think Cymbal is on the couch or behind it, don’t know why but behind the couch is his favourite spot.”

“Cats are weird,” Tyler grins, kneeling down beside Cymbal so he can pet him.

“Hey, cats are not weird, you’re weird,” Josh protests.

“Cats are totally weird, as am I, so it’s all good.” Tyler gets the cat toy out of the bag, it’s a stick with a feathery piece on the end, along with a bell. Cymbal is immediately interested following the blue fluffy part with his eyes and lashing out at it when Tyler holds it still.

Josh smiles at the scene unfolding before him. “Alright, cats are weird, you are weird, I am weird, we’re all weird. As is the word weird, that’s just a really weird word.”

Tyler starts laughing, “Well, that’s settled than, Luckily I happen to really like weird.”

Josh laughs too “Well, me too. But I’m almost finished with dinner, you play with Cymbal, it’ll be a minute. You mind eating on the couch?”

“No, I don’t even own a dining table, so I always eat on the couch. No problem, man.”

They ate their dinner on the couch, watching tv but not really watching as they were too busy talking to each other. Afterwards Tyler helps Josh with the dishes. Josh had put on Grouplove, which made Tyler smile wide. They listened together while Tyler washed and Josh dried.

With the dishes done, Josh asked Tyler if he wanted to watch a movie not wanting Tyler to go home already. Tyler agreed, but only if they watched a horror movie. Not because he liked them that much, but he thought it was a good reason to sit as close to Josh as possible.

Josh agreed and they put on the most gruesome sounding horror movie they could find on Netflix.

With coke and popcorn they started the movie both on the same couch but on the other side of it. Only halfway through the movie they were both sitting in the middle, shoulders and arms touching.

Josh turned his head, looking at Tyler, who had a bit of a troubled look on his face. It looked cute, Josh thought. He looked at Tyler’s eyes, they were brown, like his own, but he liked the brown of Tyler’s eyes more.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Tyler asks.

“Nothing, you just look cute that’s all,” Josh says, a small smile on his face.

Tyler blushes a little “oh, okay, you look cute too. But you’re missing the whole plot of the movie if you keep looking at me.”

“Well, don’t think I miss much, first of all, there isn’t much plot in this movie. Second, I like looking at you way better.”

“Stop, just… watch the freaking movie, you make me feel awkward.”

“Make me,” Josh says, still looking at Tyler, now grinning. He liked how easy it was to get Tyler flustered.

Tyler puts both of his hands on either side of Josh’s face leaning a bit closer, but eventually turning Josh’s head so it is pointed at the tv again. “There, that’s what you should look at right now,” Tyler grins, knowing all too well that Josh thought he was going to kiss him.

Josh huffs at that, crossing his arms “Fine, I’ll watch this ‘freaking movie’ as you’re saying.”

At that, Tyler leans his head on Josh’s shoulder, his one hand finding Josh’s hand and locking fingers.

That’s how they watch the rest of the movie, none of them turning to watch the other again. Not because the movie was all that interesting, but neither of them wanting to be the first to give in and look at the other again.

When the movie is finished it’s already late, but neither of them want to go to sleep.

Josh feels comfortable, there, on his couch with Tyler next him. He likes it, he tells Tyler.

“Hmm, I like it too, we should have totally talked to each other earlier, we could have had so much fun already,” Tyler smiles sleepily, lifting his head off of Josh’s shoulder.

“Yeah, we should have. Well, we have Cymbal to thank for getting us to talk to each other,” Josh grins, combing his free hand through Tyler’s fluffy brown hair.

“That’s why I brought him a gift, man, I never had the courage to talk to you, so I’m glad he was lost for a little while, although, of course I’m glad we found him. And it sucks that you were scared for a whole night, not knowing where your cat was. That must have been the worst…”

Josh interrupted Tyler’s rambling “just, shut up and kiss me already.”

So Tyler did, lightly letting his lips touch those of Josh. He put his hand on Josh’s cheek, feeling the light stubble. The kiss was soft and sweet. Just like Josh.

The kiss deepened moving in a slow steady rhythm. After a while they pull apart, needing that to breath. Tyler smiles contagious smile and Josh can’t do anything else than mirror his expression.

“Thanks for interrupting me,” Tyler grins.

“Yeah, didn’t think you were gonna stop talking soon,” Josh answers.

“Nope, probably not.”

After that Josh leans forward and connects their lips again. Their lips fit together perfectly and when Tyler opens his mouth a bit Josh takes the opportunity to push his tongue in. Suddenly, the kiss gets way more heated and they’re making out, Tyler’s hands in Josh’s messy hair, Josh’s one hand on the small of Tyler’s back, the other cupping Tyler’s cheek.

At the end of the evening, they decide not to bother with going to different beds and Tyler slides next to Josh under his covers. And that’s how they fell asleep, Cymbal at the foot of the bed. Maybe it was twenty to four, but neither of them can be sure.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! Any feedback is great, I like to know what you think :)
> 
> If you want to talk or something, I have tumblr username is Bast-top! 
> 
> X


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